Memories of a SOLDIER and a Flower Girl
by Warrayfinson
Summary: The memories between two lovers will always remain like the love they share together.A collection of oneshots for Zack and Aerith.
1. First Snow

**AN: Hey everyone!**

**Okay, so recently I can't stop writing Zack and Aerith one shots and drabbles, so I decided to do this fanfic of a collection of drabbles and one shots. I don't know how long this will run for, and how often I'll update (probably whenever I write a one shot for them). Also, I'll have a muse/inspiration behind it. If it's a song, I'd recommend you'd listen to it whilst reading the one shot. You don't have to, of course, just in case, you know? And if it's a picture I found on Deviant art, go take a look at it :)**

**Also, I have never actually played Crisis Core or Final Fantasy VII, so if I miss out on anything let me know! ;)**

**So what there is to be ensured: lots of romance, some hurt/comfort and drama, some other genres, a few of what-if's (maybe), Crisis Core based stuff, a couple novelizations of the game, different POV's and, of course, FLUFF!! :3. There will probably be a whole lot more of other stuff too that I haven't mentioned yet.**

**So I hope you like the first one shot!**

**Muse/Inspiration: Good Enough by Evanescence**

**Disclaimer: I own this computer, this windows media player and the hair attached to my head, Square-Enix owns Final Fantasy VII.**

**One: First Snow**

Aerith smiled as she felt the soft buds and petals against her skin. Her flowers meant the world to her. She loved them like she would love her children, if she ever had any. She knew she would one day, and she would have it with that special person. That person who fell from the sky…

She thought about him constantly. He had been gone for quite some time now, two months. It wasn't the longest time he had been gone, but to her it felt like two years. She hoped he would return soon, she missed him so much. She sighed as she thought about him; she wished he would be back very, very, very soon…

A flake fell from above.

Aerith stopped what she was doing. She looked to the white speck on the flower. Her smile became a straight line while her brows furrowed into a frown. She cupped her hands around the flower looking at the tiny white speck that stood out from the flower. Her expression became curious. Then she looked up from the flower. She slowly stood up she noticed now that most of her flowers had these tiny specks on them. They looked like small crystals or diamonds. She walked to the centre of flower patch. She turned in all directions, her summer dress swishing around her. Her braid fell to from her shoulders. Then she stopped for a moment. _Where are these specks could be coming from?_ She wondered.

Then she thought of the whole above her head and the flowers. She looked up and gasped. The usually clear skies were now clouded. From the sky fell the white specks, hundreds and thousands of them. Aerith's lips parted and frown disappeared as the white flakes fell passed her and onto the flowers. She knew what they were.

They were snowflakes.

She'd never seen snow before, but she heard it was beautiful. And it was. Her parted lips became a smile and her emerald eyes lit up. She swayed from side to side slowly as she watched the snow fall. Then she found herself moving around. She felt like spinning and dancing around. She giggled as she began to spin around and dance gracefully. She danced and spun between her flowers making sure not to tremble on any of them. She felt light, almost like she was floating. The flower girl laughed and giggled as she danced around the flowers. The snow continued to fall around her. Some fell into her braid and onto her dress.

As she did another spin, Aerith reached her small hands up to the skies. Her hands felt the soft snowflakes fall passed and into her hands. She laughed even more with joy. She slowly came to a stop back where she began in the centre taking her hands away from the sky down to her level. In her hands were thousands of flakes. She spun around once more, the flakes falling from her hands to the flowers below. She watched as the flakes settled and smiled down at the flowers. Their soft petals now covered with beautiful crystals of snow.

"Wow, I came back just in time."

She slowly looked up from the flowers. She knew that voice all too well. She gasped, a hand instinctively rising to her lips.

"Zack?"

He was back.

She hadn't seen or heard Zack coming in. She felt a little embarrassed and felt her cheeks turn light shade of pink. Had he seen her dancing and spinning in the snow? Zack stood there in the church isle near the front, his strong arms crossing over his chest with his trademark smile on his lips. His glowing sky eyes showing both happiness and wonder.

"Where in the world have you been these past two months?" she asked as he quickly weaved in and out of the flowers towards the man she had been waiting for. She stood in front of the flower patch as he came over to her.

"Sorry I took a while longer than expected" he said still smiling "I didn't realize I'd be coming back to winter. Let alone you dancing in the snow…"

She felt her cheeks darken at the last part of that sentence. She ducked her head away from his eyes embarrassed. He chuckled as he came closer to her. He wrapped his gloved hand around her own and entwining his fingers between with hers. She could feel his warmth radiating off it.

"You looked really happy," he said "It was like this was the first time you have ever seen snow."

"This is the first time I have ever seen snow…" she said now looking their entwined hands, her voice soft

She looked back up Zack and bursted into a fit of giggles. He looked so surprised with his mouth gapping open. He blinked a few times before responding "Are you serious?!"

She nodded smiling embarrassingly. The next thing she knew she was being pulled towards the doors of the church. She saw Zack, who was pulling her along, looking so excited, much more like a child then a man. She tried to stop nut she could, so instead she exclaimed "Zack, wait a second! Where are you taking me?!"

Suddenly he stopped and she bumped into him. He quickly turned around to her grinning from ear to ear "I'm taking you to see snow! Above the plate to surface."

She gasped and pulled away from his grasp. Deep down Zack was hurt when she pulled back but managed to keep his big grin on his face. She shook her head "Zack, I couldn't. I'm scared of the sky and it's really cold out there and the flowers-"

"Don't worry, they'll be fine," he said gesturing to the flowers "And as for the sky" – suddenly did a heroic pose –"The sky is not match for Zack Fair, first class SOLDIER and protector of the beautiful Aerith Ganisbrough!"

Aerith couldn't suppress the laughter and giggles that came from her. Zack could be such a clown sometimes but it's what made him different from most SOLDIER's. Zack dropped out of his heroic pose.

"So, will you come up to the surface?" he asked giving her an innocent look with his puppy eyes. Aerith always thought he was called 'Puppy' because of those eyes. She couldn't say no to Zack when he gave her that look, the look that made him more of little boy than a man. She knew that the flowers could manage without her, just long as no one came in and tried to steal them. She knew that Zack would never leave her side; he would stay there when they went to above the plate and protect her from harm. Not only that, today there were clouds covering the sky making her feel a lot safer now.

So with a warm smile she responded "Yes."

At first Zack couldn't believe it. He thought she would have said no anyway, no matter what he said or did. Now, he had just heard her say yes. She wanted to go up to the plate. He only wished he could take her on a sunny, warm day but this would be the first time she would see snow.

But before they could walk out the door Zack remembered her other problem "Oh, and as for the cold, here." He shrugged off his black jacket and handed over to her. Aerith took it, feeling a little bad because he might freeze out there. She pulled the sleeves over her shoulders. The jacket sleeves where too baggy for her so she quickly rolled them u until her hands were visible. She could smell Zack's scent all over the jacket which made her feel warmer already, like the jacket was Zack and wasn't just protecting her from the cold.

Zack chuckled at her when looked up at him. She looked extremely cute with his jacket on her. It hung loosely from her arms and shoulders.

Not wanting to waist anymore time, Zack quickly grabbed Aerith's hand and his grin returning "I want you close your eyes, okay?"

Aerith nodded with a knowing and trusting look her face. She closed her emerald eyes as felt herself being led out of the warm church. She wondered what looks people were giving her as Zack pulled her along. She was tempted to open her eyes to see but kept them closed at all times. She found herself giggling at the whole situation. After what felt like an hour Aerith found herself coming to slow stop. Where ever she was the wind blew a chill against her legs and she could hear the crunching of snow below her feet. She felt Zack let go of her hand and began to panic a bit.

"Okay, and open your eyes," she heard Zack say. Aerith hesitated, still feeling a little frightened. Taking courage after a few moments, she slowly opened her eyes.

She took in a sharp breath of air, her eyes widened and she felt both shock and joy run through her system. The entire landscape was covered in snow and glistened like the crystals on the flowers back at the church. An entire forest of leafless tree branches swayed in the wind. The snow from above continued to fall.

Aerith smiled excitedly "Oh Zack, it's so beautiful!"

He smiled "Glad you like it."

She looked back at Zack her smiled widening. She noticed now his jet black hair now had tiny, white flakes of snow dusted all over his spikes. It looked like snow against ashes from a fire. He began wondering around, not showing any signs that he was cold at all.

The flower girl was now glad that she had come to surface. The sight really was beautiful. But then she began to wonder what the sight looked like without snow, and what the skies would look like without clouds. The thought made her excited and, at the same time, frightened. What frightened her most was what would happen if the clouds were to move away and the blue sky were to peek through…

Her train of thought was broken when she something icy and slushy hit her face. She could barely see Zack but heard his laughter.

"Zack!" she exclaimed with both surprise and happiness. She tried to suppress the laughter as she wiped away the snow from her face. Now being able to see the SOLDIER, she saw he had another one coming. He looked at her playfully grinning. Her gaze quickly fell to his booted feet where she noticed there was an entire pyramid of them waiting to be shot.

She quickly ran off into the forest giggling. From behind her she could hear Zack's booming laughter. She hid behind a tree crouching down and cupping some snow into her hands. She made a snowball and stood up, now waiting for Zack to arrive.

She heard crunching of snow and waited for it come closer.

She readied herself to jump out and shoot.

They got closer.

She closed her eyes in anticipation.

_Now! _Her mind yelled

Aerith jumped out from behind the tree and threw the snowball. She waited for something to happen. The flower girl didn't hear her snowball hit Zack.

_I must have missed _she thought.

She slowly opened her eyes.

Zack was nowhere to be seen.

Aerith felt a little panicky again as she looked around for Zack. She turned behind her as she heard the crunching of snow only to get another snowball to the face.

She could hear Zack laughing hysterically. She stood there dumfounded at how he managed to do that. But as much as would like to have feud with him, she couldn't. She couldn't ever be mad at someone like Zack, with his sometimes childish nature and cheerful personality.

She found herself laughing too. Their laughter echoed around the landscape. Zack feel backwards on ground laughing. Aerith did the same falling next to him.

Their laughter quieted down until there was only silence between them. They turned their heads to the sides and looked at each other. Both of them smiled as their hands came to be joined in the small gap between them.

Zack's eyes didn't leave hers. From where he was lying she looked like an angel in the snow. Her emerald eyes stood out from the rest of the white surrounding them. Her braid was becoming lose and was spotted with snow.

Aerith was the one to break the comfortable silence "I'm glad I came today…Thank you, Zack."

Zack's smile widened "Told you it wouldn't be scary."

**Awwwww :3. So, that's the first one done! Now about the song some of you might be thinking (if you listened to it anyway). Don't ask me why I just imagined Aerith dancing I the snow to that song, and the tune is what inspired me the most. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you have time don't forget to review**

**Thanks again!**

**Keep Writing!!**


	2. Behind a Smile

**AN: Hey everyone!**

**So, here is another one shot, a bit of tragedy and hurt/comfort, also very short. Thanks to ****rorudesu-chan**** for reviewing the first oneshot. Reviews and are greatly appreciated! :)**

**Hope you like it this oneshot!**

**Muse/inspiration: Love Her by Seether (In case you listen to the song: Some of lyrics relate to Aerith like "With a smile on her and the darkness inside" and "****She never found out how much I tried all of the sadness she kept made me blind." Apart from that, it's all the tune).**

**Disclaimer: I own this laptop, this glass of Pepsi and this bag of chips, Square-Enix owns Final Fantasy VII**

**Two: Behind a Smile**

Everyone in the slums by now knew Aerith. They knew she was the pretty flower girl of Midgar who wore a pink dress and sold the beautiful flowers. Those fortunate enough to have any gil would buy her flowers. Sometimes, though, she would give them to anyone who didn't have any gil for free.

She was famous among the children for her the smile she would always have on her face as she carried her basket of flowers around the slums.

But what most people didn't know was that behind that smile was something much sadder. Something that she always tried to keep hidden.

Behind that smile was a girl who was still waiting. Behind that smile was a girl who was hoping. Behind that smile was a girl wanting...

Only her flowers knew of her pain and sadness. They knew she was hoping, waiting and wanting. They knew of the tears she would cry. They knew how many times she tried to not believe that _he _was dead.

She was still waiting, still hoping and still wanting for _him_.

She would _wait _inside her church while tending her flowers. She would wait for him every minute of every hour of everyday. She would stay in that church until the late hours of night. At times she thought waiting was pointless, but then her mind would tell her to have _hope_. She would hope that the planet was wrong. She would hope that his death had not come and he was just somewhere else. She never wanting to believe that he was dead, and that is what she _wanted_. She wanted to be in his arms again. She would want to hear his voice echo in her church. She would want to sell flowers with him. She would wait, hope and want him to come back...

Yes, this was what saddened her every day. There were times she thought about giving up on him. Then her mind would reassure her and tell her he would come back someday. Her flowers would try to comfort her as they told the same words over and over again, saying he had passed through to the lifestream.

She would never want to believe it. She loved him too much to believe it...

She knew that she had to stay strong and have faith that he would return. She would be strong for everyone around her and everyone who bought her flowers. She would stay strong for Elmyra. She would stay strong for him...

So, everyday she would go out into the slums with a mask that covered her pain and stay strong for everyone.

She would hide everything behind a smile...


	3. Home

**AN: Hey everyone!**

**Sorry for being so long! I've been real busy with stuff and I didn't really have enough time to type up the next one shot. I will now have links to the pictures that inspire me on my profile. Just look fo the name of the one shot and you'll find the inspiration there.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated so if you have time please review!**

**Disclaimer: I own this packet of chips, this computer, this glass of milk and these speakers, Square Enix owns Final Fantasy VII.**

**Three: Home**

He's thought went back to that girl.

She was still waiting for him. But yet, he just wanted to go home. Home in the lifestream, where some of his friends were. If Angeal was there, wouldn't that be enough…?

It didn't seem to be enough. He didn't want to leave her here. He wanted to go back, like he was suppose to. But yet he didn't want to go back. He wanted to rest from the journey life had given him. He wanted to fade away and rest. But he also wanted her with him.

That girl again.

He felt almost sad now, realizing what his decision was. His smile almost faulted at his decision. He had no choice really…

He felt the gentle breeze return. Light filtered through his closed eyes.

Only moments he felt his skin go numb to the bitter cold rain pelting down on him. He could only feel the smile on his face as he closed his eyes to his living legacy, his distraught friend. Only moments ago did the darkness consume him in silence.

Now he felt light as a feather. He opened his eyes to the sky. The dark clouds cleared away and more heavenly light spilled through. 'That girl,' he thought 'she said that the sky frightened her. It's so…liberating.'

His decision was to rest. He would have to live with it for his existence in the lifestream.

Someone was reaching towards him.

The blinding heavenly light blocked the person from view. All that could be seen was the person's hands reaching towards him. He reached up a single hand towards them. The hands reached him and they took hold of his gloved hand. His eyes flickered to the hands around his own.

His eyes widened in realization and shock. He looked up to owner of the hands. The heavenly light died down for mere seconds to reveal the face.

All joy filled him and his smile became a joyous grin. He felt himself being pulled up into the skies, to the lifestream.

The higher he got the more he saw of the person he knew too well. Finally when he neared the tops of the clearing clouds, they uttered one word in their voice "Zack…"

Zack closed his eyes in happiness. He was _truly _ready to rest. He was home. He wasn't sad anymore, he wasn't afraid of leaving. His home was here. _They_ were here to welcome him _home_…

He felt the bright heavenly light engulf him. He looked back to _them _with a smile. They smiled back about to say something else but stopped. Zack spoke up instead. He looked at the person in the eye as he said the next words.

"Would you say I have become a hero, Aerith?"

**Muse/Inspiration: Aerith and Zack (A picture from Photobucket. You can find a link to it on my profile. It kinda made me cry :(. And also, a music video from youtube called Home - Zack and Aerith.)**


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